Priory Woods School

Priory Woods School is a community special school for pupils aged 4 to 19 with severe learning difficulties, profound and multiple learning difficulties and other SEND; all pupils have EHC plans, and the sixth form, Priory 16, is based at a separate address. This graded inspection found a strong school where pupils are happy, cared for and expected to achieve. Behaviour and attitudes, personal development, early years provision and sixth-form provision were judged outstanding, while quality of education and leadership and management were good. Safeguarding is effective. Pupils benefit from a highly personalised curriculum built around their EHC plan targets, with expert reading and phonics teaching, immersive practical experiences and a strong focus on life skills. Personal development is exceptional, including careers education, extra-curricular opportunities and the sixth-form enterprise and café work that help students build independence. Staff know pupils well, parents are positive and staff are proud to work at the school. The main areas for improvement are that some learning, particularly for pupils on the ‘challenge’ pathway, is not well matched to what pupils already know and can do, so some pupils do not achieve as highly as they could. In addition, the school’s approach to evaluating its own work, including within governance, is not sufficiently developed to give a comprehensive understanding of the curriculum’s impact. The report notes that schools inspected from September 2024 are not given an overall effectiveness grade.

Strengths

• Warm, caring and inclusive culture where pupils are polite, kind and empathetic
• High expectations and a highly personalised curriculum centred on EHC plan targets
• Immersive practical experiences that bring learning to life across subjects
• Strong reading and phonics teaching with skilled adaptations for pupils with SEND
• Excellent focus on life skills, including the Independent Living Centre and sixth-form café
• Exceptional personal development, careers education and extra-curricular opportunities
• Outstanding early years provision with purposeful outdoor learning
• Outstanding sixth-form provision with enterprise work and ambitious destinations
• Effective safeguarding arrangements
• Staff feel supported and are exceptionally proud of the school
• Positive parental feedback about the educational experience

Areas for Improvement

• Some learning, particularly for pupils on the ‘challenge’ pathway, is not well matched to what pupils already know and can do
• The school’s evaluation systems, including in governance, are not sufficiently developed to accurately identify gaps and understand curriculum impact

In 2024–25 pupils at Priory Woods School attended 89.1% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 33.3% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 35.3%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 1.0% of pupils at Priory Woods School were suspended at least once (nationally 5.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Priory Woods School had 6.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 10.9% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.5%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26 Priory Woods School had 205 pupils, 100.0% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).

It says it provides for: specific learning difficulty; moderate learning difficulty; severe learning difficulty; profound and multiple learning difficulty; social, emotional and mental health; speech, language and communication needs; hearing impairment; vision impairment; multi-sensory impairment; physical disability; autistic spectrum disorder; other difficulty or disability.

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded special school schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Priory Woods School received £32,740 and spent £32,795 for each of its 204 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £703,000 (£3,456 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Middlesbrough · Middlesbrough local authority: places and applications

What is Priory Woods School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Priory Woods School is Good, from an inspection in January 2025.

When was Priory Woods School last inspected by Ofsted?

Priory Woods School was last inspected in January 2025.

How many pupils does Priory Woods School have?

Priory Woods School has 205 pupils on roll.

What age range does Priory Woods School cover?

Priory Woods School for pupils aged 3 to 19.

What are Priory Woods School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 0% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Priory Woods School?

Priory Woods School is at Tothill Avenue, Netherfields, Middlesbrough, TS3 0RH.